Feels good to be back: Dadonov, others finding groove with old NHL teams

After inking a three-year, $12-million US deal on July 1, Dadonov has been nothing short of spectacular in the early going of his second stint with the club.

The 28-year-old looks right at home — which, given his vacation habits, makes perfect sense.

Although Dadonov left the NHL for the KHL in the summer of 2012 and went on to play five seasons in his native Russia, he would often return to the Miami area to soak up the sun with his wife and two kids.

He kept a south Florida home for part-time pleasure. He’s back now for full-time business.

“My life has changed so much. Now I have a family,” Dadonov, drafted 71st overall by the Panthers in the 2007 draft, said in an interview last week. “At 22, I was young and not a very smart guy. I got more experience (on the ice) and in life, too. It’s a different life right now.”

Dadonov, a quick, shifty left-handed shooter, has 14 points and impressive underlying numbers through 13 games of occupying the right wing on a line featuring centre Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau.

In September, Panthers head coach Bob Boughner predicted, “Once they get familiar with each other, I think it’s going to be a scary line” — and he has not been proven wrong. At 5-on-5, Huberdeau-Barkov-Dadonov has controlled 56% of the shot attempts and, heading into Monday’s slate of NHL games, ranks third among regular trios in goals-scored, with 11. They’ve bagged another five on the power play.

“They are good players, very good players. Coach is keeping us together so we’re just trying to do more,” said Dadonov, adding, “the centreman is the main guy in the line and Barky does his job pretty well. He’s a playmaker and a helper everywhere.”

Dadonov spent the bulk of his previous stint in North America dressing for the Panthers’ AHL affiliate. He drew into only 55 NHL games over three seasons and ended up in Raleigh midway through the 2011-12 season. The Chelyabinsk native never suited up for the Hurricanes, opting to spend his prime playing years in the KHL.

Familiarity with the community and organization, plus the three-year offer, helped lure Dadonov back to the Panthers after fielding pitches from multiple NHL clubs this past summer. Dadonov’s October far exceeded that of his ex-SKA Saint Petersburg teammate and fellow 2017 NHL free agent Vadim Shipachyov, who has already returned to Russia following an ugly breakup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Dadonov is not alone in his quest to rewrite history. Stanley Cup-winning Blackhawks Patrick Sharp and Brandon Saad have reappeared in Chicago. Justin Williams, 36, is another high-profile returnee, rejoining the upstart Hurricanes on a two-year contract. Scott Hartnell (Predators) and Francois Beauchemin (Ducks) have also circled back to their old stamping grounds.

While it’s likely the team has undergone significant changes in their absence — “Very different, very different organization, a lot of changes from top to bottom,” said Dominic Moore, who returned to the Maple Leafs this fall after an eight-year hiatus — the player is most definitely older, presumably wiser and, in many cases, feeling rejuvenated.

“You go back to a place almost a decade later,” L.A. Kings winger Mike Cammalleri said, “and everything’s familiar, but kind of new.”

“I’m coming back with a wife and kids,” he added, “so our living habits are a little different than mine were the first time. We have to worry about what school they’re going to go to and things like that.”

Michael Cammalleri (Getty Images)

Drafted by the Kings in 2001, Cammalleri’s first five NHL seasons — including an 80-point performance in 2006-07 — had beachy L.A. as its backdrop. He then shuffled around, playing for four teams over nine seasons. A free agent this past summer, he signed up for Round 2 in California.

Similar to Dadonov, who walked into the Panthers’ dressing room in September recognizing just a few faces — including Huberdeau and defenceman Alex Petrovic, both prospects at the time of Dadonov’s departure — Cammalleri’s second go-around has offered a mix of newness and familiarity. Only Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar remain.

“I call it ‘The Instagram Effect,’ ” Cammalleri said of the immediate bond. “You know each other’s kids and families without even being around each other all that much.”

Another member of that old Kings group, Rob Blake, is the current GM. “It was a quicker decision, just because of the relationship with Rob,” said Cammalleri, who has seven points in 12 games this season.

Dadonov had an arm’s-length relationship with south Florida during his half-decade departure, popping up here and there, but for non-hockey reasons. It has guided him to a hot start between the boards and made for a unique experience off the ice.

“It was a weird feeling coming back,” Dadonov said of reacquainting himself with the BB&T Center and its workers. “Some things changed, some things did not. You’re recognizing some guys in the arena, so they’re recognizing you. That surprised me a little bit.”

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.